Sunday, 2 July 2017

Canada Day


So another Canada Day full of demonstrations has come and gone.  Dragon and lion dances were enjoyed and our team was able to perform demonstrations to wow.  No dropping of weapons…oh no that’s right I did have a bokken leave my feeble grip.  Who knew the combination of one hand without feeling and another sweaty from the heat was a bad mix?  I guess a positive spin is nobody was impaled and I was able to smile at myself. 

As much as I would have much preferred to have a malfunction happen during practice at the kwoon, or better yet in the privacy of my back yard, the reality is that’s not exactly how it works, we don’t usually get to choose when our grip gives way.  As goofy as it may sound, this glitch was another growing moment for me.  At one point in this journey this ‘oops’ would probably have kept me from performing ever again.  It would have had my face a shade redder than anyone would have thought possible and I may have even found myself coming back to the kwoon in a disguise of black shades, a wig and a handkerchief.  Fortunately I have come a long way.  I have learnt that mistakes and malfunctions don’t always happen during the practice sessions and that I am only human without control over everything.  Sometimes we need to dust ourselves off, pick up that weapon once again and continue on.  Giving up never changed or solved anything.  I only wish I was faster on my feet and would have maybe followed my bokken down the hill with a beautiful shoulder roll, grabbing it with my teeth as I passed and continuing on, all the while like I meant to do that.  Notes for the future!

I would like to say a well done by all who performed in anyway on Saturday and to thank those who came out to share and support our I Ho Chuan team.  It was greatly appreciated.

Alana Regier

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